White-Tailed Deer Named State Mammal of Georgia

The white-tailed deer was officially designated as Georgia’s state mammal April 30, 2015.

Thanks to a hard-working group of elementary school students at Reese Road Leadership Academy in Muscogee County, Georgia has an official state mammal.

Gov. Nathan Deal signed House Bill 70 into law on April 30, 2015, recognizing the white-tailed deer as our state mammal (keep in mind, Georgia does have a state marine mammal, the North Atlantic right whale).

It all began last year with a simple question from a curious Boy Scout named Kevin Green. “Why doesn’t Georgia have a state mammal?” asked Green, a fourth-grader at Reese Road Leadership Academy.

Green’s question led a group of first-graders at the Columbus school to take on the task of making a recommendation to state legislators. The students worked with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division to choose a mammal that would represent Georgia well. The white-tailed deer had all the characteristics they were searching for: It is easily recognized by most Georgians, found throughout the state (there are about 1 million deer in Georgia) and sports a tremendous economic impact through hunting.

On Feb. 11, the students visited the State Capitol to present their information and recommendation on the white-tailed deer to a House subcommittee. Rep. Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus) was on hand for the presentation.

“It’s great to see students have the opportunity to work with our state agencies and legislators. It was such a positive experience for everyone involved, and these students should feel a great sense of accomplishment for the rest of their lives knowing that they had a direct impact in designating the white-tailed deer as the official state mammal of Georgia,” said Hugley, who sponsored House Bill 70.

The students saw their hard work pay off when Gov. Deal signed the legislation, sealing an accomplishment that will last more than a lifetime. Georgia DNR and all those involved in the process are proud to have worked with this outstanding group of students. Thanks to their efforts, the state can finally claim the white-tailed deer as the state mammal of Georgia!

To learn more about the white-tailed deer, check out this fun video from the first-graders at Reese Road Leadership Academy.